Universal Saves 'Kick-Ass 2' From Development Hell

The journey to Kick-Ass 2 has been a long and arduous one. First, the film was rumored to be in development, was then officially greenlit, and then quickly scurried into non-development as everyone involved appeared to be simply too busy to film the sequel to the 2010 cult hit. Now, however, it seems that Universal is swooping in like a caped crusader to rescue the film from the violent throes of development hell.

Matthew Vaughn, the man who directed, produced, and self-financed Kick-Ass, the cinematic adaptation of the comic book of the same name, is currently in talks with Universal to distribute the film. The original Kick-Ass was distributed by Lionsgate Films, with the film taking in $96 million from a $30 million budget.

While Vaughn will be returning to produce the film, as well as write the screenplay (which will adapt both the Kick-Ass 2 comic and Hit-Girl spin-off series into a single film). He will not direct it, though, as he’s tapped the director of 2008’s Never Back Down, Jeff Wadlow.

While the deal is still currently in the works, production is expected to begin this September, with the film set for a 2013 release. Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are all expected to return for the sequel.

THR rightfully points out that this isn’t the first time Universal has rescued a faltering superhero franchise—in 2008, Universal released Hellboy II: The Golden Army after the first film, Hellboy, had been released by Revolution and Sony.